Flood in Cross County, Arkansas

Heavy rain during late April into early May caused the St. Francis River to rise to near record levels. The river remained above flood stage through the end of May. Several homes sustained minor damage from the flooding. Several roads were closed and/or damaged. Several hundred acres of cropland was flooded. A man drowned when he disobeyed closed road signs on Highway 42 and drove his vehicle into 12-18 inches of running water that covered the road. The vehicle was then swept away.

Heavy rains continued to occur across the Mid-Mississippi Valley into the Ohio Valley during the beginning part of May. In addition, spring snow melt across the Dakotas and Minnesota continued to create higher than normal river levels on the Mississippi River. The combination of the snow melt and heavy rainfall produced record breaking flooding on the Mississippi River along with the Black, St. Francis, and L'Anguille Rivers in Eastern Arkansas during the month of May. Numerous roads were flooded and closed as a result. Homes and businesses were flooded in the area. Many farmers lost crops or were not able to plant due to flooded fields. Four deaths from the flooding occurred.